LCBO Sale Pick of the Week: Feb. 20
| We want you to drink only good wine. And to never overpay. Since our Sommeliers are drinking all the time anyway—we mean, tasting all the time—we’re happy to pick out the super star values and pass them on to you. One good wine at a time, just because we care. Find these wines on sale at the LCBO, and enjoy! Sign up to receive weekly picks. |
Monte Antico 2009 (Tuscany, Italy)
Sale $14.45, Regular $15.95
Discount (until March 2): $1.50
LCBO (Vintages) #69377 | 750 mL bottle
Tastes like: Ripe plum, sour cherry and cranberry, a little sweet spice and warm, toasty oak.
Pairs with: Basic pasta and red sauce, eggplant parmigiana, any pizza, Thai noodles, steak frites.
Good for: Filling up your wine skin and strapping on the cross-country skis.
Drink this: Now.
Alcohol: 13%
Why we're drinking this
For one, we love screw cap wines. Easy to open, no pretensions, etc. The cap alone indicates a modern approach from an Old World region. This wine packs a lot of value—enough for international wine expert James Suckling to give it a solid 90 points. That might be a point or two high, but we agree that this is good stuff at a great price. And the label is nice, too.
Tasting note
This wine is designated IGT, which means Indicazione Geografica Tipica. This is a relatively modern quality mark that means the winemaker enjoys the freedom to make the wine as he pleases. This wine is a junior version of the Super Tuscan wines that put Tuscany on the map in the 1970s, when winemakers took to such non-Italian grapes as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. While it sports the characteristic qualities of the Italian Sangiovese grape—sour cherry, herbs, menthol, high acidity—it’s bolstered by 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 percent Merlot, which contribute ripe plum, bell pepper and a supple texture. The result is eminently enjoyable.
Find it at your LCBO
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This week's selection by wine writer and CityBites.ca Editor - Dick Snyder